How Lester Holt Earned The Nickname "Iron Pants"

Lester has been known to sit in the anchor chair for 9 hours straight.

TranscriptCONAN: YOU HAVE TO FILL A GREAT DEAL OF AIRTIME WITH YOUR JOB.
AND FOR THE INAUGURATION, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU ANCHORED FOR 10 HOURS STRAIGHT.
IS THAT RIGHT?
LESTER: I WAS IN THE CHAIR FROM 10:00 IN THE MORNING AND THEN WE FINISHED UP "NIGHTLY NEWS" AT 7:30.
THERE WAS AN HOUR BREAK.
BUT IT WAS A PRETTY LONG STRETCH.
CONAN: YOU A NICKNAME AMONG YOUR COLLEAGUES WHICH IS “IRON PANTS."
I'M HOPING I HAVE THE RIGHT EXPLANATION BECAUSE THIS COULD GO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS BUT APPARENTLY IT'S BECAUSE YOU CAN SIT AND SHARE -- SIT IN THAT CHAIR AND BROADCAST FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
LESTER: YEAH. WHEN I WAS AT MSNBC, IT WAS A PERIOD OF A LOT OF NEWS.
IT WAS THE 2000 ELECTION RECOUNT.
BUSH-GORE.
9/11.
THE INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ.
THERE WERE LONG BIG ROLLING COVERAGE DAYS AS WE CALL THEM.
AND THERE WERE DAYS I WOULD BE IN THE CHAIR SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE HOURS AND WOULDN'T LEAVE.
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE SOMEBODY GAVE ME THE IRON PANTS NAME.
CONAN: RIGHT.
AND ALSO THAT MEANS YOU CAN JUST NOT USE THE BATHROOM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
LESTER: WELL, I'M 57 NOW, SO THAT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.
YEAH, AT THE TIME.
HOW LONG IS THIS SEGMENT?
CONAN: THAT'S WHY I HAVE A URINAL HERE.
THAT EXPLAINS THE PAUSES SOMETIMES.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT -- ALL OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS.
WHEN SOMEONE'S COVERING AN EVENT BS THEY SOMETIMES HAVE TO FILL TIME.
MEANING SOMETIMES THE FACTS AREN'T COMING IN BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP TALKING.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN PRACTICE?
LESTER: IT IS -- WE CALL IT ROLLING COVERAGE.
WHEN I WAS IN CABLE ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IT HAPPENS.
AND YOU MIGHT HAVE A PARAGRAPH WORTH OF INFORMATION BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP ON GOING WAITING FOR LITTLE PIECES OF INFORMATION TO COME IN.
AND YOU JUST KEEP GOING.
I REMEMBER ONE TIME WE WERE JOKING ABOUT IT.
AND I SAID WATCH THIS.
AND I STARTED JUST TALKING AND TALKING AND NEVER MENTIONED THE STORY.
YOU WANT TO HEAR IT?
CONAN: YEAH.
LESTER: WE'RE COVERING BREAKING NEWS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT STORY.
THE DEVELOPMENTS ARE FAST AND FURIOUS.
WE'RE EXPECTING MORE FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT ON THE FIELD.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT WE KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW.
THERE ARE NEW DETAILS.
WE'RE GOING THE CHECK THE NUMBERS, CHECK THE FACTS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE TIMELINE OF THE STORY --
CONAN: SOUNDS LIKE YOU CAN DO THAT FOR HALF AN HOUR.
LESTER: I'M BEING FACETIOUS.
IT'S BIG ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN'T GO AWAY.
BUT YOU'RE WAITING AND THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN INCREMENTS.
AND YOU REALIZE, I'M BEING VERY REPETITIVE HERE BUT DO THE BEST YOU CAN.
CONAN: WE ALL SEE IT HAPPENING.